This document corrects technical and typographical errors in the final rule that appeared in the August 14, 2017, issue of the Federal Register, which will amend the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital related costs of acute care hospitals to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems for FY 2018.

We are revising the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems for FY 2018. Some of these changes implement certain statutory provisions contained in the Pathway for Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Reform Act of 2013, the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, the 21st Century Cures Act, and other legislation. We also are making changes relating to the provider-based status of Indian Health Service (IHS) and Tribal facilities and organizations and to the low-volume hospital payment adjustment for hospitals operated by the IHS or a Tribe. In addition, we are providing the market basket update that will apply to the rate-of-increase limits for certain hospitals excluded from the IPPS that are paid on a reasonable cost basis subject to these limits for FY 2018. We are updating the payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) for FY 2018. In addition, we are establishing new requirements or revising existing requirements for quality reporting by specific Medicare providers (acute care hospitals, PPS-exempt cancer hospitals, LTCHs, and inpatient psychiatric facilities). We also are establishing new requirements or revising existing requirements for eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. We are updating policies relating to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, and the Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program. We also are making changes relating to transparency of accrediting organization survey reports and plans of correction of providers and suppliers; electronic signature and electronic submission of the Certification and Settlement Summary page of the Medicare cost reports; and clarification of provider disposal of assets.

Effective Dates: These regulations are effective on October 1, 2017. Applicability Dates: The updated IRF prospective payment rates are applicable for IRF discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2017, and on or before September 30, 2018 (FY 2018). All other changes discussed in this final rule, including the revisions to the ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes that are used to determine presumptive compliance under the 60 percent rule, removal of the 25 percent payment penalty for IRF-PAI late transmissions, removal of the voluntary swallowing status item (Item 27) from the IRF-PAI, provision for a subregulatory process for certain annual updates to the presumptive methodology diagnosis code lists, use of height/weight items on the IRF-PAI to determine patient BMI greater than 50 for cases of single-joint replacement under the presumptive methodology, and the updated measures and reporting requirements under the IRF QRP, are applicable for IRF discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2017.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This final rule updates the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for federal fiscal year (FY) 2018 as required by the statute. As required by section 1886(j)(5) of the Social Security Act (the Act), this rule includes the classification and weighting factors for the IRF prospective payment system's (IRF PPS) case-mix groups and a description of the methodologies and data used in computing the prospective payment rates for FY 2018. This final rule also revises the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) diagnosis codes that are used to determine presumptive compliance under the “60 percent rule,” removes the 25 percent payment penalty for inpatient rehabilitation facility patient assessment instrument (IRF-PAI) late transmissions, removes the voluntary swallowing status item (Item 27) from the IRF-PAI, summarizes comments regarding the criteria used to classify facilities for payment under the IRF PPS, provides for a subregulatory process for certain annual updates to the presumptive methodology diagnosis code lists, adopts the use of height/weight items on the IRF-PAI to determine patient body mass index (BMI) greater than 50 for cases of single-joint replacement under the presumptive methodology, and revises and updates measures and reporting requirements under the IRF quality reporting program (QRP).

To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, not later than 5 p.m. on June 26, 2017.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This proposed rule would update the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for federal fiscal year (FY) 2018 as required by the statute. As required by section 1886(j)(5) of the Act, this rule includes the classification and weighting factors for the IRF prospective payment system's (IRF PPS) case-mix groups and a description of the methodologies and data used in computing the prospective payment rates for FY 2018. We are also proposing to remove the 25 percent payment penalty for inpatient rehabilitation facility patient assessment instrument (IRF-PAI) late transmissions, remove the voluntary swallowing status item (Item 27) from the IRF-PAI, revise the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) diagnosis codes that are used to determine presumptive compliance under the “60 percent rule,” solicit comments regarding the criteria used to classify facilities for payment under the IRF PPS, provide for automatic annual updates to presumptive methodology diagnosis code lists, use height/weight items on the IRF-PAI to determine patient body mass index (BMI) greater than 50 for cases of single-joint replacement under the presumptive methodology, and revise and update quality measures and reporting requirements under the IRF quality reporting program (QRP).

Comment Period: To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided in the ADDRESSES section, no later than 5 p.m. EDT on June 13, 2017.

42 CFR Parts 405, 412, 413, 414, 416, 486, 488, 489, and 495

Summary

We are proposing to revise the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems for FY 2018. Some of these proposed changes would implement certain statutory provisions contained in the Pathway for Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Reform Act of 2013, the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, the 21st Century Cures Act, and other legislation. We also are making proposals relating to the provider-based status of Indian Health Service (IHS) and Tribal facilities and organizations and to the low-volume hospital payment adjustment for hospitals operated by the IHS or a Tribe. In addition, we are providing the proposed estimated market basket update that would apply to the rate-of-increase limits for certain hospitals excluded from the IPPS that are paid on a reasonable cost basis subject to these limits for FY 2018. We are proposing to update the payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) for FY 2018. In addition, we are proposing to establish new requirements or revise existing requirements for quality reporting by specific Medicare providers (acute care hospitals, PPS-exempt cancer hospitals, LTCHs, and inpatient psychiatric facilities). We also are proposing to establish new requirements or revise existing requirements for eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs. We are proposing to update policies relating to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, and the Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program. We also are proposing changes relating to transparency of accrediting organization survey reports and plans of correction of providers and suppliers; electronic signature and electronic submission of the Certification and Settlement Summary page of the Medicare cost reports; and clarification of provider disposal of assets.

Effective Date: This correcting document is effective on October 28, 2016. Applicability Date: This correcting document is applicable for discharges beginning October 1, 2016.

42 CFR Parts 405, 412, 413, and 489

Summary

This document corrects a typographical error in the final rule that appeared in the August 22, 2016 Federal Register as well as additional typographical errors in a related correction to that rule that appeared in the October 5, 2016 Federal Register . The final rule was titled “Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2017 Rates; Quality Reporting Requirements for Specific Providers; Graduate Medical Education; Hospital Notification Procedures Applicable to Beneficiaries Receiving Observation Services; Technical Changes Relating to Costs to Organizations and Medicare Cost Reports; Finalization of Interim Final Rules With Comment Period on LTCH PPS Payments for Severe Wounds, Modifications of Limitations on Redesignation by the Medicare Geographic Classification Review Board, and Extensions of Payments to MDHs and Low-Volume Hospitals”.

This document corrects a technical error that appeared in the document published in the Federal Register on January 22, 2016 entitled “Medicare Program; Explanation of FY 2004 Outlier Fixed-Loss Threshold as Required by Court Rulings.”

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Office of the Secretary, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of the Inspector General

Interim final rule.

This rule is effective on September 6, 2016.

42 CFR Part 3

Summary

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is issuing a new regulation to adjust for inflation the maximum civil monetary penalty amounts for the various civil monetary penalty authorities for all agencies within HHS. We are taking this action to comply with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 (the Inflation Adjustment Act), as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. In addition, this interim final rule includes updates to certain agency-specific regulations to identify their updated information, and note the location of HHS-wide regulations.

The final rule published August 5, 2016 (81 FR 52056 through 52141) is corrected as of August 30, 2016.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This document corrects typographical errors in the final rule that appeared in the August 5, 2016 Federal Register entitled, “Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2017”.

We are revising the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems for FY 2017. Some of these changes will implement certain statutory provisions contained in the Pathway for Sustainable Growth Reform Act of 2013, the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014, the Notice of Observation Treatment and Implications for Care Eligibility Act of 2015, and other legislation. We also are providing the estimated market basket update to apply to the rate-of-increase limits for certain hospitals excluded from the IPPS that are paid on a reasonable cost basis subject to these limits for FY 2017. We are updating the payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) for FY 2017. In addition, we are making changes relating to direct graduate medical education (GME) and indirect medical education payments; establishing new requirements or revising existing requirements for quality reporting by specific Medicare providers (acute care hospitals, PPS-exempt cancer hospitals, LTCHs, and inpatient psychiatric facilities), including related provisions for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Electronic Health Record Incentive Program; updating policies relating to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, and the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program; implementing statutory provisions that require hospitals and CAHs to furnish notification to Medicare beneficiaries, including Medicare Advantage enrollees, when the beneficiaries receive outpatient observation services for more than 24 hours; announcing the implementation of the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Demonstration; and making technical corrections and changes to regulations relating to costs to related organizations and Medicare cost reports; we are providing notice of the closure of three teaching hospitals and the opportunity to apply for available GME resident slots under section 5506 of the Affordable Care Act. We are finalizing the provisions of interim final rules with comment period that relate to a temporary exception for certain wound care discharges from the application of the site neutral payment rate under the LTCH PPS for certain LTCHs; application of two judicial decisions relating to modifications of limitations on redesignation by the Medicare Geographic Classification Review Board; and legislative extensions of the Medicare-dependent, small rural hospital program and changes to the payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals.

Effective Dates: These regulations are effective on October 1, 2016. Applicability Dates: The updated IRF prospective payment rates are applicable for IRF discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2016, and on or before September 30, 2017 (FY 2017). The updated quality measures and reporting requirements under the IRF QRP are effective for IRF discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2016.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This final rule will update the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for federal fiscal year (FY) 2017 as required by the statute. As required by section 1886(j)(5) of the Act, this rule includes the classification and weighting factors for the IRF prospective payment system's (IRF PPS's) case-mix groups and a description of the methodologies and data used in computing the prospective payment rates for FY 2017. This final rule also revises and updates quality measures and reporting requirements under the IRF quality reporting program (QRP).

This document corrects certain technical and typographical errors that appeared in the October 16, 2015 final rule with comment period titled “Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Electronic Health Record Incentive Program—Stage 3 and Modifications to Meaningful Use in 2015 through 2017.”

To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided in the ADDRESSES section, no later than 5 p.m. EDT on June 17, 2016.

42 CFR Parts 405, 412, 413, and 485

Summary

We are proposing to revise the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems for FY 2017. Some of the proposed changes would implement certain statutory provisions contained in the Pathway for Sustainable Growth (SGR) Reform Act of 2013, the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014, the Notice of Observation Treatment and Implications for Care Eligibility Act of 2015, and other legislation. We also are providing the estimated market basket update to apply to the rate-of-increase limits for certain hospitals excluded from the IPPS that are paid on a reasonable cost basis subject to these limits for FY 2017. We are proposing to update the payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) for FY 2017. In addition, we are proposing to make changes relating to direct graduate medical education (GME) and indirect medical education (IME) payments to hospitals with rural track training programs. We are proposing to establish new requirements or revise requirements for quality reporting by specific providers (acute care hospitals, PPS-exempt cancer hospitals, LTCHs, and inpatient psychiatric facilities) that are participating in Medicare, including related provisions for eligible hospitals and critical care hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. We are proposing to update policies relating to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, and the Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program. We also are proposing to: Implement statutory provisions that require hospitals and CAHs to furnish notification to Medicare beneficiaries, including Medicare Advantage enrollees, when the beneficiaries receive outpatient observation services for more than 24 hours; announce the implementation of the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Demonstration; and make technical corrections and changes to regulations relating to costs to organizations and Medicare cost reports.

To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, not later than 5 p.m. on June 20, 2016.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This proposed rule would update the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for federal fiscal year (FY) 2017 as required by the statute. As required by section 1886(j)(5) of the Act, this rule includes the classification and weighting factors for the IRF prospective payment system's (IRF PPS's) case-mix groups and a description of the methodologies and data used in computing the prospective payment rates for FY 2017. We are also proposing to revise and update quality measures and reporting requirements under the IRF quality reporting program (QRP).

To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on June 20, 2016.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This proposed rule would update the payment rates used under the prospective payment system (PPS) for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for fiscal year (FY) 2017. In addition, it includes a proposal to specify a potentially preventable readmission measure for the Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing Program (SNF VBP), and other proposals for that program aimed at implementing value-based purchasing for SNFs. Additionally, this proposed rule proposes additional polices and measures in the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP). This proposed rule also includes an update on the SNF Payment Models Research (PMR) project.

Effective date: These regulations are effective on April 21, 2016. Comment date: To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on June 17, 2016.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This interim final rule with comment period (IFC) implements section 231 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 (CAA), which provides for a temporary exception for certain wound care discharges from the application of the site neutral payment rate under the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for certain long-term care hospitals. This IFC also amends our current regulations to allow hospitals nationwide to reclassify based on their acquired rural status, effective with reclassifications beginning with fiscal year (FY) 2018. Hospitals with an existing Medicare Geographic Classification Review Board (MGCRB) reclassification would also have the opportunity to seek rural reclassification for IPPS payment and other purposes and keep their existing MGCRB reclassification. We would also apply the policy in this IFC when deciding timely appeals before the Administrator under our regulations for FY 2017 that were denied by the MGCRB due to existing regulations, which do not permit simultaneous rural reclassification for IPPS payment and other purposes and MGCRB reclassification. These regulatory changes implement the decisions in Geisinger Community Medical Center v. Secretary, United States Department of Health and Human Services, 794 F.3d 383 (3d Cir. 2015) and Lawrence + Memorial Hospital v. Burwell, No. 15-164, 2016 WL 423702 (2d Cir. Feb. 4, 2015) in a nationally consistent manner.

In accordance with court rulings in cases that challenge the federal fiscal year (FY) 2004 outlier fixed-loss threshold rulemaking, this document provides further explanation of certain methodological choices made in the FY 2004 fixed-loss threshold determination.

Effective date: This correcting document is effective November 25, 2015. Applicability date: This correcting document is applicable to discharges beginning October 1, 2015.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This document corrects technical and typographical errors in the correcting document that appeared in the October 5, 2015 Federal Register, entitled “Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2016 Rates; Revisions of Quality Reporting Requirements for Specific Providers, including Changes Related to the Electronic Health Record Incentive Program; Extensions of the Medicare-Dependent, Small Rural Hospital Program and the Low-Volume Payment Adjustment for Hospitals; Correction.”

Effective Date: This final rule with comment period and final rule are effective on January 1, 2016. Comment Period: To be assured consideration, comments on the payment classifications assigned to HCPCS codes identified in Addenda B, AA, and BB with the “NI” comment indicator and on other areas specified throughout this final rule with comment period must be received at one of the addresses provided in the ADDRESSES section no later than 5 p.m. EST on December 29, 2015. Application Deadline—New Class of New Technology Intraocular Lenses: Requests for review of applications for a new class of new technology intraocular lenses must be received by 5 p.m. EST on March 1, 2016, at the following address: ASC/NTIOL, Division of Outpatient Care, Mailstop C4-05-17, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

42 CFR Parts 405, 410, 412, 413, 416, and 419

Summary

This final rule with comment period revises the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and the Medicare ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system for CY 2016 to implement applicable statutory requirements and changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems. In this final rule with comment period, we describe the changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment system. In addition, this final rule with comment period updates and refines the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) Program and the ASC Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program. Further, this document includes certain finalized policies relating to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system: Changes to the 2-midnight rule under the short inpatient hospital stay policy; and a payment transition for hospitals that lost their status as a Medicare-dependent, small rural hospital (MDH) because they are no longer in a rural area due to the implementation of the new Office of Management and Budget delineations in FY 2015 and have not reclassified from urban to rural before January 1, 2016. In addition, this document contains a final rule that finalizes certain 2015 proposals, and addresses public comments received, relating to the changes in the Medicare regulations governing provider administrative appeals and judicial review relating to appropriate claims in provider cost reports.

2015-10-16; vol. 80 # 200 - Friday, October 16, 2015

80 FR 62762 - Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Electronic Health Record Incentive Program—Stage 3 and Modifications to Meaningful Use in 2015 Through 2017

Effective Date: These regulations are effective on December 15, 2015. Comment Date: To be assured consideration, comments on sections II.B.1.b.(3).(iii), II.B.1.b.(4).(a), II.B.2.b, II.D.1.e, and II.G.2 of preamble to this final rule with comment period; paragraphs (1)(ii)(C)( 3 ), (1)(iii), (2)(ii)(C)( 3 ) and 2(iii) of the definition of an EHR reporting period at § 495.4; and paragraphs (2)(ii)(C)( 2 ) and (2)(iii) of the definition of an EHR reporting period for a payment adjustment year at § 495.4 must be received at one of the addresses provided in the ADDRESSES section no later than 5 p.m. EST on December 15, 2015.

42 CFR Parts 412 and 495

Summary

This final rule with comment period specifies the requirements that eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) must meet in order to qualify for Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record (EHR) incentive payments and avoid downward payment adjustments under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. In addition, it changes the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs reporting period in 2015 to a 90-day period aligned with the calendar year. This final rule with comment period also removes reporting requirements on measures that have become redundant, duplicative, or topped out from the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. In addition, this final rule with comment period establishes the requirements for Stage 3 of the program as optional in 2017 and required for all participants beginning in 2018. The final rule with comment period continues to encourage the electronic submission of clinical quality measure (CQM) data, establishes requirements to transition the program to a single stage, and aligns reporting for providers in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.

This document corrects technical and typographical errors in the final rule and interim final rule with comment period that appeared in the Federal Register on August 17, 2015 titled “Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2016 Rates; Revisions of Quality Reporting Requirements for Specific Providers, including Changes Related to the Electronic Health Record Incentive Program; Extensions of the Medicare-Dependent, Small Rural Hospital Program and the Low-Volume Payment Adjustment for Hospitals.”

This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the final rule published in the Federal Register on August 6, 2014 entitled “Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System—Update for Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2014 (FY 2015); Final Rule.”

2015-08-17; vol. 80 # 158 - Monday, August 17, 2015

80 FR 49326 - Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2016 Rates; Revisions of Quality Reporting Requirements for Specific Providers, Including Changes Related to the Electronic Health Record Incentive Program; Extensions of the Medicare-Dependent, Small Rural Hospital Program and the Low-Volume Payment Adjustment for Hospitals

Effective Date: This final rule is effective on October 1, 2015. Applicability Date: The provisions of the interim final rule with comment period portion of this rule (presented in section IV.L. of the preamble) are applicable for discharges on or after April 1, 2015 and on or before September 30, 2017. Comment Period: To be assured consideration, comments on the interim final rule with comment period presented in section IV.L. of this document must be received at one of the addresses provided in the ADDRESSES section no later than 5 p.m. EST on September 29, 2015.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

We are revising the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems for FY 2016. Some of these changes implement certain statutory provisions contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (collectively known as the Affordable Care Act), the Pathway for Sustainable Growth Reform (SGR) Act of 2013, the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, and other legislation. We also are addressing the update of the rate-of-increase limits for certain hospitals excluded from the IPPS that are paid on a reasonable cost basis subject to these limits for FY 2016. As an interim final rule with comment period, we are implementing the statutory extensions of the Medicare-dependent, small rural hospital (MDH) Program and changes to the payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals under the IPPS. We also are updating the payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) for FY 2016 and implementing certain statutory changes to the LTCH PPS under the Affordable Care Act and the Pathway for Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Reform Act of 2013 and the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014. In addition, we are establishing new requirements or revising existing requirements for quality reporting by specific providers (acute care hospitals, PPS-exempt cancer hospitals, and LTCHs) that are participating in Medicare, including related provisions for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals participating in the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. We also are updating policies relating to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, and the Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program.

Effective Date: These regulations are effective on October 1, 2015. Applicability Dates: The updated IRF prospective payment rates are applicable for IRF discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2015, and on or before September 30, 2016 (FY 2016). The updated quality measures and reporting requirements under the IRF QRP are effective for IRF discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2016.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This final rule updates the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for federal fiscal year (FY) 2016 as required by the statute. As required by section 1886(j)(5) of the Act, this rule includes the classification and weighting factors for the IRF PPS's case-mix groups and a description of the methodologies and data used in computing the prospective payment rates for FY 2016. This final rule also finalizes policy changes, including the adoption of an IRF-specific market basket that reflects the cost structures of only IRF providers, a 1-year phase-in of the revised wage index changes, a 3-year phase-out of the rural adjustment for certain IRFs, and revisions and updates to the quality reporting program (QRP).

This final rule updates the prospective payment rates for Medicare inpatient hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs) (which are freestanding IPFs and psychiatric units of an acute care hospital or critical access hospital). These changes are applicable to IPF discharges occurring during fiscal year (FY) 2016 (October 1, 2015 through September 30, 2016). This final rule also implements: a new 2012-based IPF market basket; an updated IPF labor-related share; a transition to new Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) designations in the FY 2016 IPF Prospective Payment System (PPS) wage index; a phase-out of the rural adjustment for IPF providers whose status changes from rural to urban as a result of the wage index CBSA changes; and new quality measures and reporting requirements under the IPF quality reporting program. This final rule also reminds IPFs of the October 1, 2015 implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), and updates providers on the status of IPF PPS refinements.

Comment Period: To be assured consideration, comments on all sections of this proposed rule must be received at one of the addresses provided in the ADDRESSES section no later than 5 p.m. EST on August 31, 2015.

42 CFR Parts 410, 412, 416, and 419

Summary

This proposed rule would revise the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and the Medicare ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system for CY 2016 to implement applicable statutory requirements and changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems. In this proposed rule, we describe the proposed changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment system. In addition, this proposed rule would update and refine the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) Program and the ASC Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program. Further, this proposed rule includes certain proposals relating to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system: proposed changes to the 2-midnight rule under the short inpatient hospital stay policy, as well as a discussion of the related −0.2 percent payment adjustment; and a proposed transition for Medicare-dependent, small rural hospitals located in all-urban States.

To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on June 23, 2015.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This proposed rule would update the prospective payment rates for Medicare inpatient hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs) (which are freestanding IPFs and psychiatric units of an acute care hospital or critical access hospital). These changes would be applicable to IPF discharges occurring during the fiscal year (FY) beginning October 1, 2015 through September 30, 2016 (FY 2016). This proposed rule also proposes: A new IPF-specific market basket; to update the IPF labor-related share; a transition to new Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) designations in the FY 2016 IPF Prospective Payment System (PPS) wage index; to phase out the rural adjustment for IPF providers whose status changes from rural to urban as a result of the proposed wage index CBSA changes; and new quality measures and reporting requirements under the IPF quality reporting program. This proposed rule also reminds IPFs of the October 1, 2015 implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), and updates providers on the status of IPF PPS refinements.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Office of the Secretary, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Proposed rule.

Comment Period: To be assured consideration, comments on all sections of this proposed rule must be received at one of the addresses provided in the ADDRESSES section no later than 5 p.m. EST on June 29, 2015.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

We are proposing to revise the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems for FY 2016. Some of these changes implement certain statutory provisions contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (collectively known as the Affordable Care Act), the Pathway for Sustainable Growth Reform (SGR) Act of 2013, the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, and other legislation. We also are addressing the update of the rate-of-increase limits for certain hospitals excluded from the IPPS that are paid on a reasonable cost basis subject to these limits for FY 2016. We also are proposing to update the payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) for FY 2016 and implement certain statutory changes to the LTCH PPS under the Affordable Care Act and the Pathway for Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Reform Act of 2013 and the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014. In addition, we are proposing to establish new requirements or to revise existing requirements for quality reporting by specific providers (acute care hospitals, PPS-exempt cancer hospitals, and LTCHs) that are participating in Medicare, including related proposals for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals participating in the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. We also are proposing to update policies relating to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, and the Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program.

To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on June 22, 2015.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This proposed rule would update the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for federal fiscal year (FY) 2016 as required by the statute. We are also proposing to adopt an IRF-specific market basket that reflects the cost structures of only IRF providers, phase in the revised wage index changes, and revise and update quality measures and reporting requirements under the IRF quality reporting program (QRP).

This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the final rule with comment period published in the November 13, 2014 Federal Register (79 FR 67547-68092) entitled, “Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule, Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, Access to Identifiable Data for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Models & Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2015.” The effective date for the rule was January 1, 2015.

Effective Date: This document is effective February 24, 2015. Applicability Date: The corrections noted in this document and posted on the CMS Web site are applicable to payments for services furnished on or after January 1, 2015.

42 CFR Parts 411, 412, 416, 419, 422, 423, and 424

Summary

This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the final rule with comment period published in the Federal Register on November 10, 2014, entitled “Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs; Physician-Owned Hospitals: Data Sources for Expansion Exception; Physician Certification of Inpatient Hospital Services; Medicare Advantage Organizations and Part D Sponsors: CMS-Identified Overpayments Associated with Submitted Payment Data.”

This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the final rule with comment period published in the Federal Register on November 13, 2014, entitled “Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule, Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, Access to Identifiable Data for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Models & Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2015.”

Effective date: The provisions of this final rule are effective on January 1, 2015, with the exception of amendments to parts 412, 413, and 495 which are effective October 31, 2014. Comment date: To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on December 30, 2014. Compliance date: The compliance date for new data collection requirements in § 403.904(c)(8) is January 1, 2016.

This major final rule with comment period addresses changes to the physician fee schedule, and other Medicare Part B payment policies to ensure that our payment systems are updated to reflect changes in medical practice and the relative value of services, as well as changes in the statute. See the Table of Contents for a listing of the specific issues addressed in this rule.

Effective Date: This final rule with comment period is effective on January 1, 2015. Comment Period: To be assured consideration, comments on the payment classifications assigned to HCPCS codes identified in Addenda B, AA, and BB to this final rule with comment period with the “NI” comment indicator, and on other areas specified throughout this final rule with comment period must be received at one of the addresses provided in the ADDRESSES section no later than 5 p.m. EST on December 30, 2014. Application Deadline—New Class of New Technology Intraocular Lenses: Requests for review of applications for a new class of new technology intraocular lenses must be received by 5 p.m. EST on March 2, 2015, at the following address: ASC/NTIOL, Division of Outpatient Care, Mailstop C4-05-17, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

42 CFR Parts 411, 412, 416, 419, 422, 423, and 424

Summary

This final rule with comment period revises the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and the Medicare ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system for CY 2015 to implement applicable statutory requirements and changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems. In this final rule with comment period, we describe the changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment system. In addition, this final rule with comment period updates and refines the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) Program and the ASC Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program. In this document, we also are making changes to the data sources permitted for expansion requests for physician-owned hospitals under the physician self-referral regulations; changes to the underlying authority for the requirement of an admission order for all hospital inpatient admissions and changes to require physician certification for hospital inpatient admissions only for long-stay cases and outlier cases; and changes to establish a formal process, including a three-level appeals process, to recoup overpayments that result from the submission of erroneous payment data by Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations and Part D sponsors in the limited circumstances in which the organization or sponsor fails to correct these data.

This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the final rule with comment period published in the Federal Register on August 6, 2014 entitled “Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2015” (79 FR 45872).

Effective Date: These final rules are effective on October 1, 2014. Applicability Dates: The amendments to 42 CFR 405.1811 and 405.1835 are applicable to appeals based on untimely contractor determinations that are pending or were filed on or after August 21, 2008, subject to the rules of administrative finality and reopening at 42 CFR 405.1807 and 405.1885. The provisions discussed in section IV.I.4.c. of the preamble of this final rule are applicable on or after July 1, 2015; and the provisions discussed in section IV.I.5.a. of the preamble of this final rule are applicable on or after January 1, 2015.

42 CFR Parts 405, 412, 413, 415, 422, 424, 485, and 488

Summary

We are revising the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems. Some of these changes implement certain statutory provisions contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (collectively known as the Affordable Care Act), the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, and other legislation. These changes are applicable to discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2014, unless otherwise specified in this final rule. We also are updating the rate-of-increase limits for certain hospitals excluded from the IPPS that are paid on a reasonable cost basis subject to these limits. The updated rate-of-increase limits are effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2014. We also are updating the payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) and implementing certain statutory changes to the LTCH PPS under the Affordable Care Act and the Pathway for Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Reform Act of 2013 and the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014. In addition, we discuss our proposals on the interruption of stay policy for LTCHs and on retiring the “5 percent” payment adjustment for co-located LTCHs. While many of the statutory mandates of the Pathway for SGR Reform Act apply to discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2014, others will not begin to apply until 2016 and beyond. In addition, we are making a number of changes relating to direct graduate medical education (GME) and indirect medical education (IME) payments. We are establishing new requirements or revising requirements for quality reporting by specific providers (acute care hospitals, PPS-exempt cancer hospitals, and LTCHs) that are participating in Medicare. We are updating policies relating to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, and the Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program. In addition, we are making technical corrections to the regulations governing provider administrative appeals and judicial review; updating the reasonable compensation equivalent (RCE) limits, and revising the methodology for determining such limits, for services furnished by physicians to certain teaching hospitals and hospitals excluded from the IPPS; making regulatory revisions to broaden the specified uses of Medicare Advantage (MA) risk adjustment data and to specify the conditions for release of such risk adjustment data to entities outside of CMS; and making changes to the enforcement procedures for organ transplant centers. We are aligning the reporting and submission timelines for clinical quality measures for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) with the reporting and submission timelines for the Hospital IQR Program. In addition, we provide guidance and clarification of certain policies for eligible hospitals and CAHs such as our policy for reporting zero denominators on clinical quality measures and our policy for case threshold exemptions. In this document, we are finalizing two interim final rules with comment period relating to criteria for disproportionate share hospital uncompensated care payments and extensions of temporary changes to the payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals and of the Medicare-Dependent, Small Rural Hospital (MDH) Program.

The updated IRF prospective payment rates are applicable for IRF discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2014, and on or before September 30, 2015 (FY 2015). In addition, the revisions to the list of diagnosis codes that are used to determine presumptive compliance under the “60 percent rule” that were finalized in FY 2014 IRF PPS final rule (78 FR 47860) and the revisions to the lists of diagnosis codes and impairment group codes finalized in this rule are applicable for compliance review periods beginning on or after October 1, 2015. The change to the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) form to indicate whether the prior treatment and severity requirements have been met for arthritis cases to presumptively meet the “60 percent rule” compliance criteria is applicable October 1, 2015. The implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), for the IRF prospective payment system (PPS), is applicable when ICD-10-CM becomes the required medical data code set for use on Medicare claims and IRF-PAI submissions. The updated quality measures and reporting requirements under the IRF QRP are applicable for IRF discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2014. The two new IRF quality measures will require data submission beginning with admissions and discharges occurring on or after January 1, 2015: (1) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Facility-Wide Inpatient Hospital-Onset Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Bacteremia Outcome Measure (NQF #1716); and (2) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Facility-Wide Inpatient Hospital-Onset Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) Outcome Measure (NQF #1717).

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This final rule updates the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for federal fiscal year (FY) 2015 as required by the statute. This final rule finalizes a policy to collect data on the amount and mode (that is, Individual, Concurrent, Group, and Co-Treatment) of therapy provided in the IRF setting according to therapy discipline, revises the list of diagnosis and impairment group codes that presumptively meet the “60 percent rule” compliance criteria, provides a way for IRFs to indicate on the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) form whether the prior treatment and severity requirements have been met for arthritis cases to presumptively meet the “60 percent rule” compliance criteria, and revises and updates quality measures and reporting requirements under the IRF quality reporting program (QRP). This rule also delays the effective date for the revisions to the list of diagnosis codes that are used to determine presumptive compliance under the “60 percent rule” that were finalized in FY 2014 IRF PPS final rule and adopts the revisions to the list of diagnosis codes that are used to determine presumptive compliance under the “60 percent rule” that are finalized in this rule. This final rule also addresses the implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), for the IRF prospective payment system (PPS), which will be effective when ICD-10-CM becomes the required medical data code set for use on Medicare claims and IRF-PAI submissions.

This final rule will update the prospective payment rates for Medicare inpatient hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs). These changes will be applicable to IPF discharges occurring during the fiscal year (FY) beginning October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2015. This final rule will also address implementation of ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS codes; finalize a new methodology for updating the cost of living adjustment (COLA), and finalize new quality measures and reporting requirements under the IPF quality reporting program.

Comment Period: To be assured consideration, comments on all sections of this proposed rule must be received at one of the addresses provided in the ADDRESSES section no later than 5 p.m. EST on September 2, 2014.

42 CFR Parts 411, 412, 416, 419, 422, 423, and 424

Summary

This proposed rule would revise the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and the Medicare ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system for CY 2015 to implement applicable statutory requirements and changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems. In this proposed rule, we describe the proposed changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment system. In addition, this proposed rule would update and refine the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) Program and the ASC Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program. In this document, we also are proposing changes to the data sources used for expansion requests for physician owned hospitals under the physician self-referral regulations; changes to the underlying authority for the requirement of an admission order for all hospital inpatient admissions and changes to require physician certification for hospital inpatient admissions only for long-stay cases and outlier cases; and changes to establish a three-level appeals process for Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations and Part D sponsors that would be applicable to CMS-identified overpayments associated with data submitted by these organizations and sponsors.

Effective Date: June 12, 2014. Applicability Dates: The provisions described in this document are applicable for discharges on or after April 1, 2014 and on or before September 30, 2014.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This document announces changes to the payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals and to the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program under the hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for the second half of FY 2014 (April 1, 2014 through September 30, 2014) in accordance with sections 105 and 106, respectively, of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA).

Comment Period: To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. EDT on June 30, 2014.

42 CFR Parts 405, 412, 413, 415, 422, 424, 485, and 488

Summary

We are proposing to revise the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems. Some of the proposed changes implement certain statutory provisions contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (collectively known as the Affordable Care Act), the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, and other legislation. These proposed changes would be applicable to discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2014, unless otherwise specified in this proposed rule. We also are proposing to update the rate-of-increase limits for certain hospitals excluded from the IPPS that are paid on a reasonable cost basis subject to these limits. The proposed updated rate-of-increase limits would be effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2014. We also are proposing to update the payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) and to implement certain statutory changes to the LTCH PPS under the Affordable Care Act and the Pathway for Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Reform Act of 2013 and the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014. In addition we are proposing to revise the interruption of stay policy for LTCHs and to retire the “5 percent” payment adjustment for co-located LTCHs. While many of the statutory mandates of the Pathway for SGR Reform Act will apply to discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2014, others will not begin to apply until 2016 and beyond. However, in light of the degree of forthcoming change, we discuss changes infra and request public feedback to inform our proposals for FY 2016 in this proposed rule as well. In addition, we are proposing to make a number of changes relating to direct graduate medical education (GME) and indirect medical education (IME) payments. We are proposing to establish new requirements or revise requirements for quality reporting by specific providers (acute care hospitals, PPS-exempt cancer hospitals, and LTCHs) that are participating in Medicare. We are proposing to update policies relating to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, and the Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program. In addition, we are proposing changes to the regulations governing provider administrative appeals and judicial review relating to appropriate claims in provider cost reports; updates to the reasonable compensation equivalent (RCE) limits for services furnished by physicians to teaching hospitals excluded from the IPPS; regulatory revisions to broaden the specified uses of risk adjustment data and to specify the conditions for release of risk adjustment data to entities outside of CMS; and changes to the enforcement procedures for organ transplant centers. We are proposing to align the reporting and submission timelines for clinical quality measures for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) with the reporting and submission timelines for the Hospital IQR Program. In addition, we provide guidance and clarification of certain policies for eligible hospitals and CAHs such as our policy for reporting zero denominators on clinical quality measures and our policy for case threshold exemptions.

To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on June 30, 2014.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This proposed rule would update the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for federal fiscal year (FY) 2015 (for discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2014 and on or before September 30, 2015) as required by the statute. We are also proposing to collect data on the amount and mode (that is, Individual, Group, and Co-Treatment) of therapy provided in the IRF setting according to therapy discipline, revise the list of impairment group codes that presumptively meet the “60 percent rule” compliance criteria, provide for a new item on the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) form to indicate whether the prior treatment and severity requirements have been met for arthritis cases to presumptively meet the “60 percent rule” compliance criteria, and revise and update quality measures and reporting requirements under the IRF quality reporting program (QRP). In this proposed rule, we also address the implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), for the IRF prospective payment system (PPS), effective when ICD-10-CM becomes the required medical data code set for use on Medicare claims and IRF-PAI submissions.

To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on June 30, 2014.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This proposed rule would update the prospective payment rates for Medicare inpatient hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs). These changes would be applicable to IPF discharges occurring during the fiscal year (FY) beginning October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2015. This proposed rule would also address implementation of ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS codes; propose a new methodology for updating the cost of living adjustment (COLA), and propose new quality measures and reporting requirements under the IPF quality reporting program.

2014-03-18; vol. 79 # 52 - Tuesday, March 18, 2014

79 FR 15022 - Medicare Program; Extension of the Payment Adjustment for Low-Volume Hospitals and the Medicare-Dependent Hospital (MDH) Program Under the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems (IPPS) for Acute Care Hospitals for Fiscal Year 2014

Effective date: March 14, 2014. Applicability dates: The provisions of this interim final rule with comment period are applicable for discharges on or after October 1, 2013, and on or before March 31, 2014. Comment date: To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided, no later than 5 p.m. on May 13, 2014.

42 CFR Part 412

Summary

This interim final rule with comment period implements changes to the payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals and to the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program under the hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for FY 2014 (through March 31, 2014) in accordance with sections 1105 and 1106, respectively, of the Pathway for SGR Reform Act of 2013.